Cigar box lid holder



Sept. 1, 1936. o. CARLSON CIGAR BOX L ID HOLDER Fi led May a, 19:55

//vv/vm Oscar Car-[son BY HAS ,dTToe/vays Paw/(M4 4% Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNiTEos rAT Es AreNT oFFlcE Oscar Carlson,

Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Maria Swenson, Minneapolis, Minn. Application May 3, 1935, Serial No. 19,692 2 Claims. (01. 217-451) My present invention relates to box lid holders and is in the nature of an improvement or a refinement of the invention disclosed and claimed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,295,119 issued to me February 25, 1919.

To the above end, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a cigar box having its lid held in an open position by the improved box lid holder;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is aplan view of the improved box lid holder removed from the cigar box.

For the purpose of showing the invention applied in working position, there is illustrated in the drawing a cigar box, the body of which is indicated by the numeral 4 and its hinged cover is indicated by the numeral 5.

As shown, the improved box lid holder is stamped from a single sheet of spring metal and comprises a body member 6, having at one end a, relatively short leg I and a relatively long leg 8, and having at its other end a relatively short spring arm 9 and a relatively long spring arm Ill. The legs I and 8 are edgewise spaced to straddle one of the ends of the box body 4. The short leg 1 is provided with a short inturned blunt point I l which bears against the inner face of the respective end of the box body 4 and holds said short leg with a working clearance between its inner edge and said end of the box body 3. The long leg 8 has a long inwardly and downwardly curved point l2. This curved point I2 is arranged to permit the respective end of the box body 4 to enter between the legs 1 and 8 when the holder is held oblique inward and parallel to the hinge connecting the lid 5 to the box body 4. A straightening movement of the holder will cause the point l2 to bite into the outer face of the respective end of the box body 4 and interlock the legs 1 and 8 thereto in a straddle position with freedom for bodily sidewise swinging movement toward or from the lid 5.

0n the outer end of the long arm i9 is a finger l3 that extends inwardly and is edgewise spaced from the outer end of the short arm 9. The distance between the outer end of the short arm 9 and the inner edge of the finger I3 is just a little greater than the thickness of the lid 5 to permit said lid to enter edgewise therebetween.

Formed with the inner longitudinal edge portion of the short arm 9 is a barb l4 that extends outwardly between the outer end of the short arm 9 and the inner edge of the finger l3. This barb I4 is arranged to be pressed into the respective edge of the lid 5 at the time said lid is inserted edgewise between the short arm 9 and the finger l3 and thereby positively connect said lid to the short arm 9.

In securing the lid 5 in an open position, by means of the improved box lid holder, the legs I and 8 are interlocked with one of the ends of the box body l in a manner heretofore described. 15

The holder is then tipped backwardly to carry the end of the finger I3 past the adjacent edge of the lid 5 and the outer end of the short arm 9 into engagement with the inner face of said lid. With the holder in this position the arm I0 is sprung laterally, with respect to the arm 9, downwardly on the outer face of the lid 5 and then by moving said holder bodily edgewise, the outer end of the short arm 9 and the finger I 3 are carried into yielding frictional engagement with the opposite faces of the lid 5. During the movement of the lid 5 between the short arm 9 and the finger l3, the barb I4 is pressed into the respective edge of the lid 5 and thereby connects said arm to the lid 5.

Obviously, when lifting the cigar box from a counter or showcase, by means of its lid 5, both arms 9 and Ill take the pulling strain, by means of the finger I3 and the barb It. Without the barb M the entire pulling strain would come on the finger I3.

The improved holder can be very quickly applied to a box body and lid or removed therefrom and at the same time securely holds the lid at the desired angle and wherever set.

What I claim is:

1. A box lid holder comprising a body member having one of its ends adapted to be secured to one end of a box having a lid, said body member having at its other end a relatively short spring arm and a relatively long spring arm, said long arm having an inwardly projecting finger, the outer end of the short arm being edgewise spaced from the inner edge of the finger to receive the box lid therebetween and grip the same by an edgewise movement of the body member and lateral separation of the two arms, and a barb on the holder extending midway between the finger and the free end of the short arm with its point spaced inwardly from the free end of the finger and the outer longitudinal edge of the short arm, whereby the point of the barb will be guided by said finger and the short arm to substantially the transverse center of the lid during the application of said finger and the short arm to the lid.

2. A box lid holder comprising a body member having one of its ends adapted to be secured to one end of a box having a lid, said body member having at its other end a relatively short spring arm and a relatively long spring arm, said long arm having an inwardly projecting finger, the outer end of the short arm being edgewise spaced from the inner edge of the finger to receive the box lid therebetween and grip the same by an edgewise movement of the body member and lateral separation of the two arms, and a barb formed 7 on the inner longitudinal edge of the short arm with its pointed end portion extending midway between the finger and the free end of the short arm and with its point spaced inwardly from the free end of the finger and the outer longitudinal edge of the short arm, whereby the point of the barb will be guided by said finger and the short arm to substantially the transverse center of the lid during the application of said finger and the short arm to the lid.

, OSCAR CARLSON. 

